Back to basics: Important things to keep in mind when purifying plasmids and DNA fragments

DNA binds to silica under high salt conditions, and releases from silica under low salt conditions.
This is why binding buffers are made with salts and DNA elution buffers do not contain salt.

Larger fragments are more difficult to elute because they bind more tightly to the column’s matrix.
Therefore, they are more challenging to release from the column. Warming the elution buffer and also allowing the elution buffer to sit on the column can increase the efficiency of elution.

When working with low copy plasmids, it is not uncommon to see residual gDNA in your plasmid preps.
Exonuclease V (RecBCD) can be used to remove gDNA, as it selectively digests linear DNA, and leaves circular DNA intact. Check out this application note for more information.

Residual ethanol in your eluate is common if using columns that contain retaining rings (plastic rings to hold the membrane in place).
Ethanol in your eluate can interfere with downstream applications and also can cause your sample to float out of the well when loading your gel lanes. Monarch DNA Cleanup Columns and Monarch Plasmid Miniprep Columns are designed without retaining rings, thereby eliminating the risk of carryover contamination.

A very common reason that people experience low yields when carrying out gel extraction is that they do not properly release all of the DNA from the agarose gel.
It is important to use the recommended amount of dissolving buffer and to ensure that the agarose is completely melted before proceeding. For more tips on gel extraction, see our Six Tips for Perfect Gel Extraction.

Learn more about Nucleic Acid Purification products from NEB at nebmonarch.com.